Circuit interrupter



Marh 31. 1925.

J. w. LEGG CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER Filed Dec. 16, 1920 P W if INVENTOR Jase ATIIORNEY WITNESISES:

Patented Mar. 31, 1 925 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH LEGG, OF WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER.

Application filed December 16, 1920. Serial No. 431,128.

To all whom it may concern: netic flux, indicated by arrows 11, near the Be it known that I, JosEPH W. LEGG, a horn portions 2 of the members 1.

citizen of the United States, and a resident Upon separation of the contact members 7 of l/Vilkinsburg', in the county of Allegheny and 8, an incipient are, somewhat as indiand State of Pennsylvania, have invented a cated by the line 12, will form on the horn new and useful Improvement in Circuit Inportion .2 and be propelled outwardly toterrupters, of which the following is a speciward and beyond a position indicated by the fi ti line 13 until the stored energy of the circuit My invention relates to circuit interruptis dissipated and the circuit is broken.- Even ers and particularly to means for dissipating should the arc tend to form under the horn 6 the arcs thereof. portions 2, as indicated by portions 14 of The object of my invention is to provide the line 13, it 'will be impelled outwardly.

'a device of the above indicated character Forming of arcs, as in the latter instance, that shall insure the proper direction of the on ordinary arcing horns causes the arc to 15arc to, thereby, prevent reignition, to contravel back toward the contact members, 7 serve the apparatus and to cause the interwhich action may occur several times before rupter to open the circuit thereof in an eflithe arc is extinguished. .cient and effective manner. Arc shields or barriers 15 are disposed In my co-pending application, Serial No. around the members 1 to disrupt the are at 432,322, filed Dec. 21, 1920, is disclosed a desubstantially its weakest parts and to pre-' 7 vice for so stabilizing and controlling arcs vent it traveling around the members 1.

as to ensure the effective opening of a cir- As shown in Fig. 2, a tubular member 16 cuit' and which, in certain respects, is someis of substantially circular or looped form what similar to my present invention. and embraces a single coil 17 of any desired 2 Inpracticing my invention, I provide a number of turns connected in series with the coil or coils formed to the shape of horn-gap contact members 7 and 8. Arc-splitter or or arc-conducting members that are shielded barrier members 18 of discoidal form, emwith conducting material to take the arc brace the member 16 to elongate or break up and which set up a magnetic flux to force the are, as indicated by lines 19 and 20.

30 the arc in a proper direction. A circuit interrupter constructed in 3.0-

By my 1I1Ventl0n, th 1 are P Z P cordance with my invention is particularly y f the Contact f to d1 SS1Pate adapted for outdoor service, since there is he en gy of the clrclllt p then first no arc chute, or other similar part, on which occurrence. rain, snow or sleet may readily accumulate 5 Flgurel of he aq pa y ng drawlllgs to cause short-circuit conditions. is 'a di gr mm slde VIEW 0i -g p lVhile I have shown and described particmembers constructed'in accordance with my 1; forms f my i ti changes a b invention n effected therein without departing from the Fig. 2 is a similar view of a circuit interirit and scope thereof, as set forth in the 40 rupter and a modified form of arc-condu :td d l i ing or limiting member embodying my in- I l i as my i ti vention. 1. The combination with arcing members,

As shown in F ig- 1, tubular c ndu ing of means for conducting the arcs away members 1, preferably of copper, are formed therefrom comprising a tubular member to have arcing horn portions 2, end 01 Si having a conductor connected to one of the portions 3 and bottom portions 4:, through arcing members disposed therein, and an are which coils 6 that are formed of insulated shield disposed on the tubular member. conductors, extend and are connected in 2. The combination with arcing members, Series W relatively movable Contact of means for conducting the arcs away bers '7 and 8 which are adapted to be actutherefrom comprising a tubular member of ated in anysuitable manner (not shown) 01 substantially loop-shape having a conductor las-j'shown in'the above mentioned co-pending connected in the circuit of the arcing mem- 'application. v bers disposed therein. p The coils6 are so wound and related to 3. The combination with arcing members,

conductors 9 and 10 as to generate a magof means for conducting the arcs away 11 therefrom comprising an insulated coil connected in circuit with the arcing members and constituting a loop having a relatively large central air space, and a conducting sheath embracing the coil for engagement with the arcs, the sheath constituting an arc horn and the turns of the coil being in a direction lengthwise thereof.

4:. The combination with arcing members, of means for conducting the arcs away therefrom comprising a pairof coils formed to the shape of arc-horn members and connected in the circuit of the arcing members. f

5. The combination with arcing members, of means for conducting the arcs away therefrom comprising a pair of coils formed to the shape of arc-horn members and connected in the circuit of the arcing members, and a tubular member embracing each of said coils.

6. The combination with arcing members of means for conductingv the arcs away therefrom comprising a pair-of coils formed to the shape of arc-horn members and con-- nected in the circuit of the arcing members, and a conducting tube embracing each of said coils. I c

7. The combination-with arcing members,

of means for conducting the arcs away therefrom comprising a pair of to the shape of arc-horn members and connected in the circuit of the arcing-members, and a shield of conducting material for said coils. V

8. The combination with arcing members, of a conductive coil connected in series with one of the members and constituting a loop having a relatively large central air space and an arcing horn connected to'the said member substantially surrounding the coil coils formed and substantially corresponding in shape.

thereto.

9. The combination with arcing members, i

of a conductive coil connected in series with one of the members and constituting a loop having a relatively large central air space, an arcing horn connected to the said member substantially surrounding the coil and substantially corresponding in shape thereto, and an insulating barrier extending transversely of the arcing between the ends thereof.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 3rd day of December, 1920.

JOSEPH W. LEGG.

horn and disposed 

